M89-19 - ARKANSAS EDUCATION ASSOCIATION COLLECTION

The collection consists of 18 items relative to the history of the Arkansas Education Association, the oldest professional organization in the state. Several items, dated 1905 through 1916, are from the Arkansas Teachers' Association and the Arkansas State Teachers' Association, which later became known as the AEA. They are primarily programs and proceedings of the annual meetings which were usually held in Little Rock.

The AEA was organized in 1869 as the Arkansas Teachers' Association and registered 22 members at its first meeting. From that humble beginning it grew into an organization with thousands of members and became a leading force in the development of public education in Arkansas.